Current interrupter



C. E. BENNETT.

CURRENT INTERRUPTER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.9, 1919- RENEWED NOV. 18,1921- Patented June 20, 1922.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. BENNETT, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE SERVICE ENGI- NEERING COMPANY, OF MARIETTA. GEORGIA, A CORPORATION OF GEORGIA.

CURRENT INTERRUPTER.

To all whom it maly concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. BENNETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Current Interrupters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to current interruptersand particularly an interrupter of the type disclosed in my copending applications 207,771, filed December 18, 1917; 247,826, filed August 1, 1918, and 298,273, filed May 19, 1919, the object of my invention being to provide a Construction having certain structural features which facilitate not only initial manufacture but also repair and exchange. of parts to accommodate the interrupter to an increased or decreased voltage on the line protected.

1n the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an apparatus in which my invention is illustratively embodied.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the interrupter element detached, and

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through one end of the interrupter element drawn to a larger scale.

As here shown the structure comprises an elongated rectangular base 12 of insulating material, having mounted on its face in opposite corners of one end, a pair of terminal plates 13 and 14C. The plate 13 carries a binding terminal 15 to which is secured the lead 1 from the power line to be protected; and also a set screw 16 passing through the slot 17 in the base 18 of the horn 2 oil? a horn gap. The other plate 14: also carriesa set screw 19 which serves not only to secure the slotted base 20 of the other horn 2 but also to secure one end of a connecting strip 3.

A second pair of terminal plates 1* and 41" mounted on the base. carry not only binding terminals 21 and 22 but also spring terminal clips 23 and 24. The connecting strip 3 is secured to the terminal 21 of plate 41* While the ground lead 11 is connected to the terminal 22 of plate 49. Detachably engaged with the spring clip 23 and 24 are the blade contacts 10 and 10 of the interrupter element. The latter as here shown comprises a liquid container in the form of a glass tube 5 closed at its opposite ends by caps 6 and 6 and. preferably of insulating material.

Specification of Letters Patent. P t t J 0 1922.

Application filed September 9, 1919, Serial No. 322,645.

Renewed November 18, 1921.

An innertube 7, also of glass, is suspended from the upper cap 6 and dips into the liquid in the container, forming an expansion'chamber in which the are is drawn. The arcing terminal 8 is mounted at the lower end of the conductor rod 9 which is formed in one with or secured to the blade contact 1O" at the top cap 6' of the interrupter. The blade 10 of the lower cap 6" ex tends through the latter into contact with the electrolyte in the tube 5, or the cap 6 may be entirely of metal if preferred.

Vents 25 in the cap 6 maintain the space above the liquid in tube 5 at atmospheric pressure, while a small vent 26 opening to the lnterior of the tube 7 not only prevents excessive pressure therein when the arc is drawn and vapors formed but insures the reestablishment of the atmospheric pressure therein also after the arc is broken and the vapors have cooled. The apparatus thus Serial No. 516,245.

automatically resets after the are is broken.

The construction illustrated is of particular practical value since it permits the apparatus to be not only readily repaired in case of injury to the interrupter element, but also readily altered to meet di'lferent voltage conditions on the line protected. If either of the tubes 5 or 7 break, the interrupter may be removed and replaced in a moments time by a fresh one of the same capacity; while ii: the line is to have a greater or lesser normal voltage imposed upon it, then the replaced interrupter will diflier in its adjustments to meet the new voltage conditions. The horns 2 and 2 are adjustable in their spacing to the requirements of the normal load on the line and may be readily shifted together or apart as need be.

The apparatus shown, while simple and efficient, may be readily modified in the details of its construction without departing from what I claim as my invention.

I claim:

1. An automatic current interrupter comprising a liquid container, an expansion chamber therein, a terminal adapted to draw an arc in said chamber, an exterior contact electrically, connected to said terminal, a second exterior contact electrically connected to the liquid in said container, in combination with a base, a pair of terminals mounted thereon and means for establishing a quick detachable connection between said terminals on the base and the exterior contacts of the interrupter.

2. An automatic current interrupter comprising a liquid container an expansion chamber thcreii'i, a terminal adapted to draw an arc in said chamber, an. exterior contact electrically connected to said terminal a second exterior contact electriczll connected to the liquid in said container in combination with a base a pair o'l terminals mounted thereon and means lior establishing a quick detachable connection between said terminals on the base and the exterior contacts oil the interrupter together with a pair of cooperating; gap terminals; mounted on said base and a connection from one of said gap terminals to one of the interrupterrreceiring terminals.

3. An automatic current interrupter comprising a liquid container, an expansion chamber therein, a terminal adapted to draw an arc in said chamber, an exterior contact electrically LOllllQCtELl to said terminal, a second exterior contact electrically connected to the liquid in said container in combination with a base a pair of terminals mounted thereon and means tor establishing a quick detachable connection between said terminals on the base and the exterior contacts of the intcrriqiiter, together with a pair of cooperating gap terminals mounted on said base, and spaced adjustably apart and a connection t'rom one of said gap terminals to one of the iuterrupter-receiving terminals.

a liquid container, an expansion chamber therein, an arcing terminal arranged in said chamber, an exterior contact tor said terminal. and a second exterior conta t in electrical connection with the liquid in said container in combination with a support and a pair o-l spaced terminals thereon adapted to inalte quick detachable connection with the rior contacts ol the interrupter.

3. n an automatic current interrupter. a liquid containing tube, heads closing the opposite ends thereol an inner tube supported in one o'l said heads and extending toward but spaced l roin the other heath an arcing terminal arranged within said inner tube an exterior contact projecting from one to said heads and in electrical connection with the arcing terminal in the inner tube, tOQ'Ctl'ltl' with a second exterior contact carried by the other head and in clectriral connection with the liquid in the container.

ln testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

GilARLlLS F. BENNETT.

a. in an automatic current interrupter 

